156 - Pros / Cons of Doing Trade Deals with Your Marketing

Mar 20, 2026

A breakdown of why trade deals in sports are not actually free and often cost teams real revenue. Discussion of where trade can work best, like unsold inventory and awareness campaigns. Warnings about common pitfalls: no tracking, overvalued digital add-ons, and leftover low-value placements. Practical fixes include using promo codes, landing pages, and treating trade like paid media.

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INSIGHT

Trade Is Invisible Cost Not Free

Trade looks free but is actually paid with inventory and opportunity cost.
Jeremy Neisser: teams give up premium seats and revenue potential when they accept trade instead of cash.

ADVICE

Use Trade For Unsold Inventory Only

Use trade primarily for unsold inventory and awareness, not for prime games.
Jeremy advises giving away low-demand tickets (e.g., Tuesday nights) and avoiding premium seats for trade.

INSIGHT

Trade Builds Media And Sponsor Relationships

Trade can strengthen relationships and amplify sponsor exposure when packaged into on-air mentions or giveaways.
Example: radio giveaway ties sponsor (bobblehead) into promotion and gets community activations like mascot school visits.

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Trade deals are everywhere in sports—but most teams treat them like “free marketing” instead of what they actually are: untracked investments. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down how trade really works, where it provides value, and why it often fails to drive results. If you’re relying on trade without accountability, this will change how you think about it.

Key Topics Covered

Why trade isn’t free—and how teams unknowingly give up real revenue
The right way to use trade: unsold inventory, awareness, and sponsor amplification
Why trade is almost always a top-of-funnel channel (not a ticket sales driver)
The biggest mistakes teams make: no tracking, no accountability, wrong expectations
How media partners often deliver leftover or low-value inventory
The problem with inflated trade value across different market sizes
Why digital add-ons (email blasts, banners) are often overvalued and underperforming
How to treat trade like paid media with promo codes, landing pages, and performance reviews

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Why trade is everywhere—but rarely measured
01:25 – What trade actually is (and why teams love it)
02:23 – The “free marketing” illusion
03:47 – Why lack of accountability is the real issue
04:16 – Where trade actually works (unsold inventory + awareness)
05:56 – Budget constraints and why trade is so attractive
06:24 – Using trade to enhance sponsorship value
08:13 – Creative community exposure opportunities
09:08 – Trade = top-of-funnel (not direct response)
10:37 – The expectation gap: trade vs. paid media
11:07 – The tracking problem (and why nobody knows what works)
12:56 – Leftover inventory and bad placements
15:18 – Inflated value and market-size mismatches
16:00 – Why accountability disappears in trade deals
17:09 – The truth about digital add-ons
20:31 – How to actually use trade the right way
21:22 – What to avoid (high-demand inventory, no tracking)
22:47 – Treating trade like real media
23:16 – Final takeaways: awareness vs. revenue

Episodes Mentioned:
125 - I saw your ad but didn't buy
111 - Building Your Marketing Budget Like a Funnel

Call to Action

If you’re doing trade deals and not sure if they’re actually working, let’s take a look.
Head over to sportsmarketingmachine.com and schedule a free 30-minute call—I’ll help you evaluate what you’re getting and where you might be leaving revenue on the table.

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